Pride-Niklaus's Point of View
♕︎ ♕︎ ♕︎
"Your sister is weird," Apollo said with a raised brow, his tone skeptical and laced with irritation, as he let out a long, almost exasperated sigh. His eyes flickered between me and my sister, clearly unsure how to express his thoughts without sounding too blunt or disrespectful. His hesitation was palpable, his discomfort evident in the way his gaze darted between us, like he didn't quite know how to navigate the complex relationship we all shared.
"That's an understatement," I mocked, my voice dripping with sarcasm, rolling my eyes in a practiced motion. The action was almost automatic, a reflex born from years of dealing with my sister. I wasn't one to sugarcoat things, especially not when it came to her, but I wasn't about to admit that her behavior frustrated me, either. Too much time had passed, and I had learned to wear the mask of the indifferent older brother all too well—detached, unemotional, and perfectly in control of my outward demeanor. That was the role I played, and I was damn good at it, especially with Apollo and Atlas around.
"I think the only one who truly understands her is our dad," Apollo continued, his voice growing quieter, almost as if speaking this truth aloud made it feel heavier, more real, more like a burden. He was addressing his brother, Atlas, but his words were aimed at everyone in the room, as if he needed to share this understanding with us. "She always goes into seclusion with dad. Keeps us away from her, makes sure we never get too close, like we're a problem she doesn't know how to deal with."
The words were laden with unspoken hurt, a sharpness in Apollo's tone that indicated he had been carrying this frustration for a while now. I could tell that he had tried, time and again, to reach her, to bridge the gap that had formed between her and the rest of us. But it had all been in vain.
"Why does she always do that?" Atlas growled, his voice thick with frustration. There was no masking it now—his feelings were raw, unfiltered, and he wasn't holding back. I could see his body tense, his fists clenching involuntarily as though trying to fight off a wave of emotions threatening to spill over. The harshness in his tone was undeniable, filled with confusion and pain. "We only wish for her well-being. She's our older triplet sister, but she pushes us away like we're an inconvenience. I'm fed up with it. Why doesn't she let us in?"
The question hung in the air like an accusation, thick with the weight of years of unanswered queries. Silence descended in the room, heavy and suffocating. The tension was palpable, pressing down on me from all sides. I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, an uncomfortable unease settling in the pit of my stomach. I wasn't sure if this was a conversation I should even be part of—not after everything that had happened, especially after I had just threatened to kill these very same boys minutes ago. It was almost surreal, the way they were speaking so openly about my sister, dissecting her actions like she was a stranger, when just days ago they had been the closest of allies, brothers in arms. The bitterness of it all gnawed at me, turning the taste in my mouth sour, and I struggled to keep my emotions in check.
"It all changed when..." Apollo's voice trailed off, his words faltering as though the memory was too painful to fully acknowledge. The flicker of recognition passed between him, Atlas, and me—like a silent understanding we all shared. We knew exactly what was coming next, and we all dreaded it. We didn't need Apollo to finish the sentence; we knew the weight of that moment, that time in our lives when everything had taken a dark turn. "She turned into someone entirely different after that," Apollo whispered, his voice haunted and distant, as though the words themselves carried an iron weight that crushed him under its pressure.
"Probably because she watched my mom kill yours," I said bluntly, my tone unflinching and direct, not bothering to soften the blow. I wasn't concerned with their feelings at that moment; I wasn't here to coddle them or protect their fragile sensibilities. The words landed like a punch, sharp and unforgiving. I watched as both of them froze in shock, their faces pale, their eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and discomfort. They didn't meet my gaze, nor did they look at my sister—they couldn't, not after the truth had been laid bare between us. It was as though the very act of facing us would make the words real, too real to bear.
"Did you see where she was headed when she left?" Apollo asked, breaking the silence, his voice tentative now. His words were careful, as though he was testing the waters, unsure whether to press further or to pull back. He was treading lightly, trying to regain some sense of normalcy amidst the heavy atmosphere that hung over us.
"Left hallway," Nathan piped up sharply, his voice cutting through the tension with surprising clarity. He had been waiting for the question, ready with an answer. In a heartbeat, Apollo and Atlas were already on their feet, moving with swift purpose, fading into the distance as though they had never been there. Their footsteps echoed faintly before disappearing entirely, leaving nothing but an empty space where their presence had once been. The room felt colder in their absence, the silence stretching between us like a gaping chasm.
"Ugh, those drakyres are fucking weird," Kai growled, his irritation evident as he ran a hand through his messy shoulder-length brown hair, pushing it back from his face. His frustration was palpable, his voice thick with disdain. It was clear that the mere thought of Apollo and Atlas made him uncomfortable, unsettled in a way I couldn't quite explain. "I don't know who's worse—the savage girl or those two boys." His words were harsh, the bitterness in his tone impossible to ignore. He seemed caught between two equally irksome choices, not sure which group grated on his nerves more.
"Persephone," they all muttered in unison, their voices low, but the certainty in their words was unmistakable. They all shared the same opinion, and it was clear they weren't exactly fond of her either.
"Definitely Scarlet," I clicked my tongue in disdain, the bitter edge to my voice creeping in as I leaned back in my seat. A heavy weight settled over me, like a shroud, and I found myself caught between an overwhelming sense of frustration and a strange sense of resignation. Was it worse to deal with my sister's cold indifference, or the unbearable tension that thickened the air whenever she was nearby? It was hard to decide, but either way, the silence between us grew heavier with each passing moment, like a storm waiting to break.
"Come on," I said abruptly, pushing the heavy atmosphere aside with a sharp, commanding tone. I could feel the familiar rush of leadership instincts kicking in—my resolve strengthening as I pushed the discomfort aside. "Let's go. The opening ceremony is about to begin, and I plan on picking 9 kids to join Inferno this year." My voice held an undeniable authority, rich with the promise of control. As Captain of the Inferno Brotherhood, it was my responsibility to choose the strongest, the most capable members—those who could stand by me through anything, no matter what. Weakness was not an option, and I wasn't about to take any chances.
My sister, seemingly unaffected by the conversation, nodded in agreement, her expression carefully composed into a mask of unwavering determination. "I'll also pick 9 for Paradise," she said, her voice steady and resolute, though I could see the glint of calculation in her eyes. Paradise was her sisterhood—one that she ruled with an iron fist, a place where loyalty and strength were valued above all else.
"You think Persephone will pick someone, or will she stay with 11?" Dom purred, leaning in closer as if trying to gauge the room's energy, clearly curious about my sister's choices. His question was one everyone was wondering. Persephone, ever the enigma, was a wildcard—no one ever really knew where she stood.
"She only picked ten girls for the sisterhood because she had to," I scoffed, rolling my eyes as I shook my head in exasperation. "If it were up to her, she'd have a sisterhood of only one person. She would have loved to have a place all to herself, away from everything. I bet she was dying to escape the noise, get away from the shared dorm." I added with a smirk, the thought of her wanting solitude almost making me laugh. The shared dorms were a hellish mess of noise, chaos, and constant activity, and she wasn't one to tolerate it.
Though the Tartarus Sisterhood was right in front of the Inferno Brotherhood's dorms, we were still next-door neighbors—sharing the same building but worlds apart. It wasn't ideal, but it was tolerable. At least her place was smaller than mine, given that we were housed with 60 boys right now. Numbers didn't lie, and the comparison was hard to ignore.
"I just know Loki Vilhelm Aaberg will wait for the decision, only to do the same thing he always does," Kai mocked, elbowing me with a mischievous grin. His tone was playful, almost lighthearted, but the mention of Loki made my blood run cold. I couldn't stand that bastard.
Ugh, Loki. That smug, insufferable bastard. I don't know how to explain the sense of dread he invoked in me. Even his name set my teeth on edge. I didn't like him—never had, never would. There was something off about him. Foxes weren't to be trusted, especially not a nine-tailed red one like him. The false charm he carried was enough to make me sick. He was nothing but trouble, and I wasn't about to let him get close to me—or anyone I cared about. Definitely not someone I'd ever trust.